Pages

Saturday, November 7, 2009

A random day in my life

6:20 fight the urge to get off the treadmill and begin dancing around the gym when “Hollaback girl” comes on my ipod. (Crank up the mph to 7.5 instead)

7:45 eat Cliff bar on my way to coffee shop

7:47 arrive a coffee shop where barista already knows my order

8:00 arrive hospital

8:10 round on postpartum patients

8:30 begin seeing patients in office

8:40 first patient is in her early 20’s. She looks at me glassy eyed as I discuss health issues, encouraging safer sexual practices, quitting smoking and healthy eating. Ummmmm….. I really just need a refill on my pills. Fine, I say. While I’m doing her pap, she stops texting long enough to say “Why would you EVER want to be a gynecologist???”*

“I enjoy delivering babies and helping people live a healthier life.” me

“Oh” “You know I really HATE this!” her (By the way, 90% of people say this during their pap smear)

“Yeah I’d be a little concerned if you actually liked it” I reply with my canned response.

The next patient wants to discuss hormones. She starts by saying “Well Oprah says….. “ at which point MY eyes glass over…

9:20 Labor and delivery calls with a patient in labor. I walk over and check her in. 2 cm with first baby.

See several other patients

Avoid several drug reps

Office manager stops me to sign some checksWe pay HOW MUCH for PAPER???? She tells me were getting a good deal because we’re buying in bulk. I believe her.

12:15 done with morning patients

12:20 do circumcision

12:30 eat canned soup and cookies

12:40 Labor patient is 3 cm

1:00 Afternoon patients start

I see an annual exam who I delivered 2 of her babies. We compare notes on Halloween costumes and chat.

Next patient comes for a “hormone check”… but is really just depressed.

Next patient doesn’t need me to fix her….. she just needs to talk to someone. I let her talk as long as my schedule allows (probably longer) and then get her a referral to a counselor.

Next patient comes in for a “yeast infection that just won’t go away that’s now blistering.” Sorry honey, but it’s Herpes….. pass the tissue box. That wasn’t a pleasant conversation to have.

Next I get caught up discussing Twilight with a patient (you better believe already have my New Moon tickets and my Team Edward T-shirt).

3:30 Labor patient only 4 cm. Call husband let him know I probably won’t be home for dinner.

3:40 OB comes for 12 week checkup. US reveals no heart beat. She had no reason to think anything was wrong. They had been trying to get pregnant for over a year. Telling her that she had lost her baby made me feel physically ill. I hold her hand as she cries. Big tears. My own eyes sting as I fight to hold my tears in. I take her to the back door to let her out so she wouldn’t have to walk through the waiting room, as I closed the door I get a stat page to L and D. I race across the parking lot to the hospital…. The baby’s crowning. I quickly gown and in one push, a beautiful baby girl is born. I lay her immediately on the mom’s belly. Blood, vernix and tears are everywhere. The daddy cuts the cord. I have to guide his hand because he’s crying so hard he can barely see. Pictures are taken. Hugs are exchanged.

The grandma looks at me and says , ” You have the most amazing Job in the world.”

“I’m very blessed”

4: 15 I thank my NP for helping see my patients while I was out

5:00 Finish seeing patients and start catching up on charts

5:20 Get home

5:40 Eat left over pizza

Play with son and talk to husband

8:00 Multiple books read to son as I put him to bed

8:15 Drink large glass of red wine and watch Flight of the Conchords on DVD with Hubby curled up the couch. Laugh.

9:00 Reflect on the craziness of my day. How I can go from tears of profound sadness to tears of joy in a matter of minutes. How I can love and hate my job so my all in the same day.

15 comments:

Oh, the good life! Yes, it is an amazing series of ups, downs, and in-betweens. I feel like I could have written this post...except for the whole gym thing, that isn't happening since I have to be rounding at 7 am. Gotta work on that one. Thank you for sharing! :)

21 years ago, I lost a baby girl at 20 weeks. The doctor said little to me and was expressionless. I can't imagine what a difference it would have made if I'd seen some emotion from her. I know she didn't know me, but ..it seemed so robotical. Maybe a tear or two wouldn't be soo bad if the patient saw them in your eyes?

As I gear up for my OB/GYN rotation, the one I am most excited about and have looked forward to since starting med school, I am glad to hear that you are able to have this balance of work and life, office and hospital, kids and husband. I may print this post and tape it to the inside of my board review book.

Thanks for sharing your incredible day. Typical as it was. What ups and downs. That's part of why we do it. Glad you have a short commute! Yes, wow on getting up early to exercise, like KC, that used to be me (but after the workday). Gotta get back into it. I love Flight of the Conchords!

Mothers in Medicine is a group blog by physician-mothers, writing about the unique challenges and joys of tending to two distinct patient populations, both of whom can be quite demanding. We are on call every. single. day.

Disclaimer

No content of this blog should be taken as medical advice. Any references to patients have been altered to maintain confidentiality. Content and links on personal blogs listed on the blogroll are not vetted or monitored and do not represent endorsements by Mothers in Medicine.